“How are you today, my lady?” he asked, taking a seat and gratefully letting Kordira fix a plate of eggs, fish, roasted turnips, and bacon for him. He was famished.

Zella gave him a hopeless look. “I’m not sure what to say, my lord. Kordira has been explaining to me all that happened, that my nightmare really happened.” Her lips trembled and she dabbed at her eyes with her napkin. “I failed again in my duty, didn’t I? First the archduke, and now the princess!”

“You can’t be blamed for either, my dear,” Seregil replied, seeing where kindness would get him. “Have you recalled anything else?”

“Let her eat,” said Kordira.

“No, it’s all right, Doctor.” Zella wiped her eyes again. “We were on the road, almost here, when the demons came out of nowhere. That’s truly all I recall.”

“I see.”

“I don’t know why I was spared, my lord. I wish I hadn’t been!”

“There now, don’t say that.” He reached across and patted her hand. “We’ll go back to Deep Harbor today, but before we do, I’d like for you to show me where the demons appeared. Can you do that?”

Zella nodded bravely. “Yes, of course.”

When they were finished eating Seregil had Vhadä fetch Syrel, then went to the front court with Kordira and Zella and found the carriage ready and waiting. Windrunner and Kordira’s horse were tied to the back. Erian, a ya’shel with hair paler than Alec’s, jumped down from the driver’s seat and held the door open for them. The carriage was fine enough for the Street of Lights, with crystal lamps by the driver’s seat and gilt decorating the handsome polished wood exterior. Inside were well-padded seats of tufted green velvet and a clever rack holding a small silver brandy service.

Sabriel came out with a wicker hamper and handed it to the coachman. “Here’s a meal for you all, my lord. I tucked in some honey cakes. Vhadä says you’re partial to them.”

“Give him my thanks,” Seregil said with a wan smile. “Take care.”

Zella took a seat on the left side of the carriage and gazed out the window, studying the scenery as they slowly rolled up the road toward Menosi. They’d gone no more than half a mile when she said, “Stop! It was here, I’m certain.”

They all climbed out and Zella pointed to a steep rise above the road. “There, they came down from there.”

Seregil studied the ground and road, but came up with nothing. With Syrel’s help, he made it up the rise, checking for any sign of foot- or hoofprints as he went, but there was nothing. Even Micum wouldn’t have had much to work with here. The grass was unmarked. There was no sign of Zella’s shoe.